Chapter 241: Chapter 241 - First Strike
For Wallace Wills, the Martial Arts Association’s greatest value lay in its official status.
Put differently, the Martial Arts Association held considerable influence among prominent families, and none wished to openly antagonize them.
Naturally, this didn’t apply to Capital City’s elite families.
Days passed swiftly.
Before long, the divine medicine’s emergence day had arrived.
That morning, White City’s heavens displayed magnificent layers of blessed clouds.
The clouds carried a subtle purple tint, and though their glow wasn’t brilliant, they remained clearly visible.
Such a spectacle naturally drew countless eyes skyward.
Both common folk and martial artists yearning for the divine medicine gazed upward at the heavens.
"This signals tremendous luck!"
"The heavens smile upon White City!"
"This year will bring me wealth!"
Numerous people dropped to their knees and bowed toward the sky, displaying profound reverence.
The martial artists grew even more thrilled!
This marked the divine medicine’s manifestation!
"They say thousand-year divine medicine creates celestial phenomena. Witnessing this today proves the legends true." A martial artist whispered quietly.
They couldn’t afford to delay and rushed immediately toward where the divine medicine would appear.
The divine medicine’s location lay deep within the mountains.
Typically, this region remained uninhabited, though the vegetation flourished magnificently.
Nourished by the divine medicine, various wild beasts had also gathered and wandered throughout this territory.
Today, however, this mountainous area overflowed with expensive vehicles.
License plates represented different provinces and cities, and at first glance, at least a hundred people waited there.
"Victor Green, keep an eye on the herbs for me," I said before departing, reminding Victor Green repeatedly.
Victor Green was growing somewhat irritated and gestured dismissively, saying, "Fine, I understand, just get going already."
Conrad Schroeder, standing nearby, appeared somewhat concerned.
After considering the situation, he finally cautioned, "Mr. Raymond, are you certain about going? Though the divine medicine holds value, your safety matters more..."
I glanced at Conrad Schroeder and smiled slightly, "If you’re scared, you can stay behind."
Conrad Schroeder managed a strained smile, "I’m not scared, I... ah, forget it."
Seeing my determination, Conrad Schroeder couldn’t think of anything else to say.
As the vehicle raced forward, we soon reached the mountain entrance.
Observing the gathered crowd, I couldn’t help but remark, "The thousand-year divine medicine truly lives up to its reputation. Usually not even one martial artist appears here, but today they’ve emerged like spring bamboo."
After speaking, I drew a deep breath.
"Even the atmosphere tastes sweet, genuinely deserving the divine medicine title." I displayed a satisfied expression.
Conrad Schroeder didn’t share my relaxed attitude. He immediately expanded his spiritual awareness and surveyed the surroundings.
Soon, Conrad Schroeder’s expression darkened.
He discovered that each person possessed remarkable abilities - at least twelve Grandmasters were present, plus countless Masters! The most powerful had even achieved Fourth Rank Grandmaster status!
"We might face difficulties today, Mr. Raymond. We should maintain a low profile." Conrad Schroeder advised quietly.
"What? King of Chuzzle Mason Raymond is here as well?" Conrad Schroeder had barely finished speaking when someone called out from afar.
That single shout drew countless gazes in our direction.
Nearly everyone cast curious looks toward me.
I couldn’t help but feel frustrated.
This title had truly caused me considerable trouble. This didn’t suit my preference for staying inconspicuous.
"So he’s the King of Chuzzle? It’s unusual to see someone so young earning a king’s title."
"Right, I heard Ignacio Richard held such a title years ago."
"Ha, comparing him to Ignacio Richard seems excessive. Ignacio Richard was a once-in-a-century prodigy."
I didn’t want to expose my abilities too early, as that would certainly create unwanted complications.
Therefore, I purposely suppressed my presence, appearing identical to any ordinary Inner Strength Master upon casual observation.
At that moment, several young people approached me from the distance.
Each appeared to be in their twenties.
The group included three men and one woman.
The men all possessed remarkable presence, while the woman was exceptionally alluring and had the power to entrance any man’s soul.
"Is that woman the legendary River North Region’s greatest beauty, Zendaya Andrew?"
"They claim no man can withstand Zendaya Andrew’s allure. Seeing her today, the reputation seems completely justified!"
"Wow, that figure truly makes one lose control."
Everyone stared at the woman, swallowing nervously.
"The Four Great Geniuses of River North? They’ve actually appeared too?" Upon spotting these four individuals, Conrad Schroeder frowned.
"Really? The Four Great Geniuses of River North?" I seemed quite intrigued by this designation.
Conrad Schroeder nodded and explained, "These four represent the River North Region’s most talented martial artists in recent years, and their family connections shouldn’t be underestimated."
Following that, Conrad Schroeder indicated the lead young man and said, "This is Lainey Kessler. He achieved Grandmaster status three years ago."
Conrad Schroeder then gestured toward the captivating woman and continued, "Among the four, this woman called Zendaya Andrew poses the greatest threat. Reportedly, she lacks significant background, but her abilities exceed imagination."
I nodded silently and instinctively examined Zendaya Andrew more closely.
Admittedly, Zendaya Andrew’s beauty was genuinely compelling, with an ideal physique lacking any unnecessary weight.
However, what amazed me most was that Zendaya Andrew possessed an inherent magnetism that proved difficult to resist.
"Curious." I rubbed my chin thoughtfully.
"Zendaya Andrew’s energy...appears somewhat unusual."
Right then, the group had already approached my position.
"Are you Mason Raymond?" Lainey Kessler spoke first.
I nodded slightly, acknowledging the greeting.
"King of Chuzzle - that’s quite a title! I wonder if you possess the genuine abilities to support it!" A muscular young man beside Lainey Kessler sneered coldly.
"Since he bears the King of Chuzzle title, his capabilities must be remarkable. Compared to Mr. Raymond here, our Four Great Geniuses designation immediately pales." Lainey Kessler stated coolly.
"Really? Is that so? I, Blaine Pitts, would genuinely like to witness this myself!" The sturdy man clenched his fist and spoke harshly.
The tension escalated immediately upon their first encounter, which made Conrad Schroeder feel somewhat uneasy.
I, however, stayed composed, as though I had anticipated this development.
"Ah, Mr. Raymond, please don’t take offense. Since Blaine Pitts is considered a genius yet hasn’t earned a king’s title, his frustration is comprehensible. But I assume... Mr. Raymond’s strength must surpass all four of us." Lainey Kessler feigned regret as he spoke.
Lainey’s words appeared to mediate the situation, but actually, he was deliberately escalating the tension between us.
In essence, Lainey wanted to use Blaine Pitts to test me.
As anticipated, once he finished speaking, Blaine Pitts grew even more enraged.
He tightened his fist and declared, "Mason Raymond, do you dare engage in a friendly match with me? Don’t worry, I won’t harm you!"
I stayed quiet for a moment, remaining silent.
"Blaine, after all, Mason Raymond holds the King of Chuzzle title. How could he casually engage in combat?" Seeing my continued silence, Lainey Kessler kept stoking the flames.
Hearing this, Blaine Pitts could no longer restrain himself.
He clenched his fists and announced, "King of Chuzzle, is that right? I want to see exactly how skilled this King of Chuzzle truly is!"
After declaring this, Blaine Pitts released an furious shout, stepped forward, and launched a punch toward me!
